In the first forty seconds of this web-only political ad for Herman Cain, Mark Block, Cain’s Chief of Staff, makes the argument why his candidate should get your vote in the Republican presidential primary.

Then things get weird.

As the song ‘I am America‘ begins to play, Block takes a slow motion drag off a previously unseen cigarette and exhales the smoke out toward the viewer, flashing the cold stare of an action hero.

Next you get a close up of Cain, who slowly reveals a grin over a ten second period, which seems like it lasts forever.

When the ad hit the internet Monday night, many thought it was some sort of joke. But apparently it’s completely for real. Who knows, maybe Block is sowing the seeds for some kind of nicotine showdown with noted cigarette-sneaker Barack Obama.